Shillong, July 20: Chief Minister, Conrad K. Sangma said that information and technology (IT) and innovation are going to play a crucial role in how the digital economy shapes up in the future.
While addressing during the inaugural function of the diamond jubilee celebrations of science teaching in Shillong College here on Thursday, the Chief Minister said that another big sector will be sustainability and green economy.
According to him, there was a feeling in the past that economy and ecology cannot go together.
“But the fact is that as we move towards the green economy, jobs will be created. A lot of things and innovation is going to take place in these two sectors in the years to come,” Sangma said.
According to him, science is going to be more and more critical in these two sectors.
Talking about the IT sector in the State, the Chief Minister said that the state is slowly and steadily moving towards becoming a BPO destination.
He further said the state is targeting to become one of the major IT hubs not only of the region but even nationally.
“At the moment around 3000 seats of BPO in the first IT Park in the state are already occupied. And all these processes are from Europe, United States and from developing nations. All international processes running from our state and from Shillong city,” Sangma said.
According to him, there are many more companies who wish to come and there is a Dubai based company which is already signing an agreement to set up a 200 seater center out here.
“We are also constructing the next phase of the IT Park which is 5000 seaters. So we have about close to 8000 seaters in the next one year. And my target is to see that we can touch about 30,000 seats in the IT sector by getting investments from outside,” Chief Minister said.
Sangma said that they are looking to ensure how the BPO sector which is really moving fast in our state today can go to the next level of technology implementation and not just the BPO provider.
According to him, it is important institutes like Shillong College and NEHU students thinking on this line.
He further stated that the state government is in the process of laying optical fiber cables all the way to the block headquarters and this would mean that it will have full speed optical fiber connectivity pretty soon.
According to him, if optical fiber connectivity goes down to the block levels then it will open up a huge opportunity like providing an online education system at grassroots level through new technology platforms.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister informed that the state Government is in the process of putting up one of the largest data centers in the region.
“So the processes are we have received funds and a huge data center where all details will be kept out here. But we will require manpower to maintain these data centers and require people to be able to use these data centers,” Sangma said.
He further said that the educational institutes will play an important role in developing the necessary manpower or innovating in a way that they can fit in.
Further, the Chief Minister informed that the submarine cables have now landed in Chittagong adding that the submarine cables are now under the process to be taken to Guwahati.
According to him, they are proposing the route which is going to be via Shillong and hence the D the right of way.
“So there is a high probability that very soon in collaboration with the government of India, Government Bangladesh, Meghalaya Government and Assam Government together will be able to get the submarine cables landing right here in Shillong,” he said.
Sangma said that once they are able to bring submarine cables out here then the cost of data, transportation or sending data or speed data will be cut in a big way.
Earlier, Education Minister, Rakkam A Sangma Minister congratulated the college for being the only college in the state to be accessed and reaccredited an A+ grade recently by NAAC Bangalore.
Addressing the students both past, present and future he urged them to spread their knowledge to every nook and corner of the state for the development of the state.
Talking about NEP 2020 and its vision of building the country as a knowledge centre he urged the college to move forward especially in the field of research touching lives and ushering a change in society.
Meanwhile, NEHU Vice Chancellor, Prabha Shankar Shukla stated that science is the foundation of the modern world.
He pointed to the various challenges such as climate change, diseases and therefore research in science needed to be encouraged as science is a problem solving discipline.
The NEHU VC also spoke at length on the NEP 2020 and how its multi disciplinary approach could benefit society and urged the affiliated colleges to consider implementing the NEP 2020. While congratulating the college on its Diamond Jubilee of Teaching Science he wished the college more growth and progress.
Earlier, Shillong College principal, Dr E. Kharkongor had delivered the welcome address.
IANS